Bu Lige’s Taunt

Surrounded by the golden-crowned snakes, Yao Ziyan moved with an otherworldly grace, her form as elusive as a drifting shadow.

The golden-crowned snakes were terrifying creatures—not only were their physical strikes devastating, but the venom they spewed was lethal. A single scratch could mean certain death.

Yet, Yao Ziyan remained composed, evading every strike with precision. Each movement was deliberate, her agility showcasing mastery of body technique.

Gu Yunxi and Jiang Wanshang stood frozen in awe.

From their perspective, there were moments when escape seemed impossible. But Yao Ziyan always found the one slim path to safety, weaving through the encirclement as if the laws of battle bent to her will.

"How is this even possible?!" Gu Yunxi thought, unable to tear her eyes from the scene.

Their admiration deepened as they watched.

Who could have guessed the seemingly humble assistant in the shop was a hidden master?

"I'm not sure even our instructor could pull this off," Gu Yunxi murmured, shaking her head in disbelief.

Jiang Wanshang nodded in agreement, her gaze unwavering.

Yao Ziyan was operating at the first level of Spiritual Sense, the same level as the dozen golden-crowned snakes. Yet her movements and skill revealed a mastery of body techniques that far exceeded her realm.

"I'm starting to feel inspired," Jiang Wanshang said, her eyes glinting with determination.

Just then, a calm voice interrupted their thoughts.

"You're here."

Both girls turned to see Luo Chuan standing nearby, having quietly exited the Tower of Trial.

"Boss, we want to try the Tower of Trial!" Gu Yunxi and Jiang Wanshang said in unison, their excitement palpable.

Luo Chuan nodded, accepting their payment of spirit crystals before they entered the game.

But not before each of them grabbed a bucket of instant noodles.

The Tower of Trial's tenfold training speed increase combined with the instant noodles' effects was an irresistible temptation.

Standing behind the counter, Luo Chuan resumed his duties as the shop owner, though not without a few lingering thoughts.

The previous night, the Heavenly Star Emperor had offered him fifty thousand spirit crystals as compensation. While Luo Chuan had no real interest in spirit crystals, he accepted them to ease the emperor's mind.

After all, trust was a fragile thing, especially when dealing with an emperor's suspicious nature.

"Wonder when he'll send them," Luo Chuan mused, glancing toward the store entrance.

Not long after, the sound of approaching footsteps broke his thoughts.

But as the figures entered, the faint hope on Luo Chuan's face vanished.

It wasn't the spirit crystal delivery. Instead, it was Bu Shiyi, her brother Bu Lige, and their friend Jiang Shengjun.

"Wow!" Jiang Shengjun exclaimed as he entered, noticing the ten new gaming seats. His eyes gleamed with curiosity.

"Are these the spiritual devices that enhance cultivation? Truly fascinating!"

Bu Lige was quick to speak up. "Boss, give me two buckets of instant noodles. I'm heading straight to the Tower of Trial!"

"Help yourself," Luo Chuan replied flatly. "Pay in spirit crystals."

Jiang Shengjun, however, couldn't help his curiosity. "What's the connection between instant noodles and the Tower of Trial?"

Bu Lige leaned closer, a mysterious grin on his face. "Here's the secret. Instant noodles boost your cultivation speed tenfold for one hour. In the Tower of Trial, every hour is equivalent to eight hours of training. Now imagine the combination…"

"That's 80 hours of cultivation in just one hour!" Jiang Shengjun exclaimed, his astonishment clear.

Both Luo Chuan and Bu Lige shared a glance.

"No, that's not how it works," Bu Lige said, looking at Jiang Shengjun with mock disdain. "It's addition, not multiplication. You're dreaming if you think it's 80 times the speed!"

He conveniently forgot that just the day before, he'd made a similar mistake.

Jiang Shengjun coughed, attempting to hide his embarrassment.

Still, he couldn't help but think to himself, How did my great reputation in Nine Stars City end up getting mocked by Bu Lige of all people?

Such is life, he thought bitterly.

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